H/L CEO Andrea Alfano Retires
CEO Andrea Alfano is retiring after 24 years at H/L and 46 years in advertising. Andrea first joined the independent agency as a partner and EVP before rising to COO and, ultimately, CEO—guiding H/L through decades of transformation and growth.
Andrea’s advertising journey began in account roles at industry heavyweights Ogilvy & Mather, Young & Rubicam, TBWA\Chiat\Day, and Publicis Hal Riney. A turn to working on the client side at SelfCare.com led to Andrea’s collaboration with H/L. That experience reignited her passion for agency life and the creative process, prompting her to consider returning to the world of advertising. She made the leap—and over time, helped to shape H/L into the nationally recognised agency it is today.
When Andrea joined H/L, it was a much smaller agency with a handful of blue-chip clients and a primarily regional presence, a sharp contrast to the global networks where she’d spent the early part of her career. Over the years, she helped guide the agency’s nationwide expansion, all while making sure H/L stayed grounded in the things that mattered: its people, its culture, and the quality of its work.
Now, as she prepares for her next chapter, Andrea reflects on her remarkable career, her time at H/L, and what’s next for the agency she helped build.
Q > Where was this company when you started working at H/L 24 years ago, and how has it evolved?
Andrea > We now have a national footprint. Our regional expansion across the country was huge. We started with moving into the Northeast with McDonald’s in Boston in 2013, and since then, we’ve grown dramatically throughout different regions in the country. We now have six offices and people in 21 states. I’m not sure I would’ve predicted this level of growth for our organisation when I first became a partner at this small agency in 2001. Today, we’re at 175 employees and have expanded the breadth and depth of our capabilities broadly.
Q > What is your favourite part about working at H/L? What will you miss the most?
Andrea > The culture. I know this sounds crazy, and I’ve said this in several parting remarks at the agency once I announced my departure, but I feel like I’m leaving a family. There’s a sense of camaraderie and professionalism for certain. There’s also a level of respect that people have for each other, where they feel comfortable voicing their perspectives and opinions. That’s not lip service. As young people come in, we make sure they feel welcome to throw an idea on the table and that they can participate in engaging dialogue to produce the best work possible for our clients.
Perhaps a dated term, but we have always had an open-door policy. There’s no one you can’t talk to. I think people always felt comfortable emailing, messaging, or calling me, and I never wanted to limit that. I loved it because it just reinforced a great sense of belonging and comfort at H/L. People feel included. I think that’s pretty rare. I would argue that our full-time remote workers feel the same as somebody who regularly works from any of our offices—in Miami, Oakland, Atlanta, Phoenix, Kansas City, or St. Louis—and I think that says a lot. I really do. And I’m proud of that.
Q > Is there a key piece of advice, a mantra, or a noteworthy phrase that has guided or shaped your time at H/L?
Andrea > One of my mantras—and I’ve always said this to myself—is to do unto others as you want them to do unto you. I really believe that. That’s your emotional integrity, intelligence, heart, and the path to stay true to yourself. Those lessons are learned daily, and that would be advice I would give people on how to work with others and understand what it would feel like if they were in their shoes.
Another important lesson is to be a good listener. You have to learn how to listen. It’s not something that you naturally pick up over time. It’s something you really have to train yourself to think about and do. Being a good listener—not just to your clients, but internally, too—is how you understand the needs of others and give people the right opportunity to grow. To me, listening is a huge part of what we need to do to make ourselves better professionally every day.
Q > What is something you wish more people knew about H/L?
Andrea > For one, we Make Momentum.™ across the country. The other is that we have a broad range of experience. We have a depth and breadth that I don’t think people assume we are capable of because they still perceive us as a regional agency.
Because of that, they don’t see the talent we have in Media, Data and Innovation, Multicultural Marketing, Creative, or with what we’re doing now with AI. We’re doing some really innovative things that even some larger agencies aren’t doing—and we’re doing it at our size. Plus, we’re experimenting with the use of AI for a broad range of clients in different industries.
Q > What do you think is next for H/L and its client partners?
Andrea > What's on the horizon? We're set for success. Right now, we’re a very talented, passionate, driven team. Our talent, coupled with the technology and innovation we’re building to move our clients’ businesses forward, will set us up for the future and set our clients up for growth.
If we keep our eye on the ball, we’re constantly innovating and using technology to keep us in the forefront, and we’re making sure that we’re always working with the best talent possible, that’s going to bring success to positively impact our business. I think the future is bright and exciting, and I’m anxious to see where H/L moves next. I’ll be cheering them on from the sidelines.
Q > What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
Andrea > Well, I’ll finally have uninterrupted time to spend with family and friends. I want to be fully present. I’ve never been like that—I’m always checking my phone or carrying my computer around.
I want to travel and have new experiences, and I also want to relish and revel in peace and quiet. I don’t want to rush through the peace and quiet. I used to. I want to take a breath, reflect on what I want to do, enjoy my surroundings, pick up a book, and not feel that I have to put it down and pick up my computer. Just enjoy life at a different pace.
H/L is independently owned and operated. Trey Curtola, who has been with H/L for 21 years, will expand his duties to become CEO and chairman of the agency. The remainder of the agency shareholder and leadership team will maintain their existing duties. This includes Crystal Sawyer, Michael Ramirez, Chris Cronin, Tyler Martin, Mike Castillo, and Mark Suarez.
